Remembering Beaumont Hamel 100 years later

“At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”- Laurence Binyon

Over the past 100 years, countless Canadian soldiers and service men and women have laid down their lives for Canadians to protect our ideas and provide us with a peaceful and free nation to call home. They fought in muddy fields and on beaches in France. They fought in the cold waters of the North Atlantic and in foreign lands of the Pacific islands. They’ve fought international conflicts in remote deserts and aimed to keep the peace in unfamiliar lands.

It is our responsibility as Canadians, and for me, as a teacher, to make Remembrance a part of our regular daily practices both personally and in the classroom.

On July 1^st of this year Canadians all across this great country celebrated Canada's 149th birthday, yet in Newfoundland, they celebrated a different, more somber anniversary.  100 Years ago, on July first, 1916, Newfoundland was not part of Canada as they had not yet joined Confederation. Instead, they were still a colony of England and therefore fought alongside them in the First World War just as the young dominion of Canada did.

The Royal Newfoundland regiment was a source of great pride for the province of Newfoundland, boasting several hundred men from the little island. On July 1, 1916, members of the Newfoundland regiment went over-the-top at Beaumont Hamel and straight into German machine gun fire.

The resulting battle was full of chaos and confusion. Members of the Newfoundland Regiment were unsure of their objective and their rifles were no match for the powerful German guns. Unprotected in No Man’s Land, confused and alone, those brave soldiers who did not succumb to machine-gun fire met at the danger tree, the lone tree in the middle of the open space between trenches. Here at this tree, they regrouped and decide whether or not to push on towards the German trenches or to return to the safety of their own.

Of the over 800 Newfoundland men who went over-the-top that day, only 68 answered roll call the next morning.

The regiment was decimated.

The fear these boys must have felt is incomprehensible to me. Even standing in the middle of that same field last summer, I couldn’t quite grasp the magnitude of what had occurred there all those years ago.

 

Trying to make these numbers a reality for my students this fall as we explore the First World War was also a challenge. Slowly but surely as we investigated the lives of some of the men who fought and died at Beaumont Hamel, they began to realize the true sacrifice they soldiers made all those years ago.

On the site of Beaumont Hamel today stands a monument dedicated to the brave men of the Newfoundland regiment. The names of the fallen and missing are inscribed on the monument and the Newfoundland stag, the emblem of their regiment, stands proudly atop the monument ever looking towards home and as a reminder of those who never made it back home.

On July 1^st, on Remembrance Day, today, and everyday Canadians will remember their sacrifice. This November, invite you to wear a poppy, thank a veteran, and remember their sacrifice.

Lest We Forget. 

Reflections on Ecuador- Me to We Travel Experience

When opportunity knocks, it is sometimes difficult to answer the door. Often there are things that stand in the way: reservations, cost, timing, fear; the list goes one. Yet, if you can look past the obstacles and take a leap of faith (or even a small hop as the case may be) you may get to experience one of the most amazing opportunities of your lifetime. You may even find that you can help change the world.

This is the situation I found myself in last November when I was invited to be a part of a Me to We educator’s scouting trip to Ecuador and the Amazon rainforest. When I first read the email on a Friday afternoon, my initial thought was, “that would be cool, but I could never do that” followed closely by, “it must cost a lot of money” and finally, “there are spiders in the Amazon…”

Despite the reservations I had about the trip, I couldn’t get the idea out of my head, so Sunday afternoon, I replied to the email and after a Monday morning telephone conversation, I was ready to pack a bag and head to South America. Now I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have some anxieties about traveling to another continent and stepping way out of my comfort zone, but I can honestly say, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life! 

Our journey to the Amazon began in Ecuador’s capital city, Quito, where I met the three other Canadian teachers I would be traveling with. I arrived to the hotel in Quito very late (or early depending on your frame of mind) and had time for a quick nap before meeting the rest of the team for breakfast and boarding the bus for the six hour journey to the Amazon. While the bus ride was long, the scenery was beautiful. As we drove through the mountains and the cloud forest, we crested the highest point of our journey at just over 4000 meters above sea level. The views are stunning at this vantage point.

Halfway through our journey to the Amazon we stopped in a little town to eat. The restaurant is a pizzeria set against a picturesque back drop. The man who runs the restaurant was originally from the Netherlands and moved to Ecuador. He built the restaurant himself and it was beautiful. The food was delicious and we even saw several hummingbirds. Staring out into the incredible landscape, it was the first time it hit me- I was in South America and headed to the actual rainforest! The whole thing seemed completely unreal.

A few hours later, we reached the Amazon River, and our team could hardly contain our excitement. We boarded our motorized canoe and shortly arrived at our home for the next few days- the Minga Lodge. In rural Ecuador, teamwork is an important part of daily life; citizens band together to complete community wide projects. These vary from building schools or homes, to planting and harvesting crops. It is this sense of community support that the Minga lodge takes its name. Minga, in the native language actually means collaborative work, or reunion of friends.

The lodge itself is beautiful; nestled inside the lush rain forest, visitors are surrounded by the diverse flora and fauna. The view from the open air dining room was spectacular as it overlooks the Amazon River and in the late afternoon you can see the sun set across the water. The accommodations were also impressive; the cabins were comfortable and safe. Each bed has its own mosquito net and there was even a hammock on the balcony where you can enjoy the sights and sounds of the forest.

It was an odd sensation that first night in my cabin. The usual sounds of home, the QEW traffic, and city noise were absent. They were instead replaced by a cacophony of jungle noises, birds singing, animals chattering away in the tree tops, even a short little rain shower. Although it was a new type of noise, it had a peaceful and calming effect.

Our first day in the Amazon was also our first day in the local community where we would be working alongside community member on the construction of a new school room. Before we got to work, we toured the community to learn what life was like for the people living there. The school in this community served children from all over the region, some traveled up to four hours each way to school and were required to live in the dorms during the week. As a teacher, this provided a stark contrast to our Canadian school systems.  Students in the Amazon were so dedicated to their studies and determined to attend school that some of them came from across the Napo River, traveling several hours through jungle to learn. These students had to make significant sacrifices to obtain their education. I certainly admired their commitment to their studies. It also threw into focus the things we take for granted here in Canada and made me appreciate my short commute to my own classroom back home.

Before we got to work on the building project, we reviewed safety procedures and ensure everyone understood the instructions provided to us by our Ecuadorian foreman.  One of the things that really sets the WE community projects apart from other humanitarian build organizations is that they work with the community to determine their specific needs and then employ community members to oversee and support the projects on the ground. In fact, the community itself is responsible for raising a portion of the funds for the build through government grants and other means. The community decides which area has the greatest need- education, sanitation, sustainable income, agriculture or medical- and then they select the project to begin.

On the build site, our team was responsible for sifting sand to make cement. This was a challenge, but our coordinator was sure to remind us to take regular breaks for water and to pause if our bodies were telling us to. It was a tough adjustment to make, working in the heat and humidity of the Amazon while balancing the exertion of physical labour. Regular hydration was key and we always had plenty of drinking water on hand. Many of the community members were working right alongside us as we sifted sand and they laid bricks. Many of the mothers from the community came out to help us and had their babies slung on their backs in wraps. It was truly a community wide project, and even thought it was during the holidays, people still came to help every day. It was a privilege to work alongside these people and to help provide their community’s students with a new classroom.

On our last day on the build site we had a chance to play some games with some of the community members. The children taught us how to play a game called Ecua-Volley Ball. Now I’m not an athletic person by nature, but the children were kind and patient as they taught us how to play, even if we did make several mistakes. I was struck by their patience and their willingness to let us participate in their games, even when we didn’t understand the rules. When another group of volunteers from a different team arrived in the community, we all joined together to play a massive game of soccer. Whether standing on the sidelines cheering, or in the thick of the game, it was a great way for us to bond as a team and get to know the members of the community better. Regardless of the geographical location, and language barriers, students of all ages simply love to play!

My team also had a chance to explore some of the other local communities during our week in the Amazon.

We traveled to a cocoa farm and learned about the various forms of cocoa, and which companies buy which quality of beans. We also got to help mix soil to plant a new cocoa tree and learned the complex process of cultivating the desired trees to improve the yield of the fruit and quality of product in the end. We even met a new friend.

In the end we got to take some cocoa beans home to the lodge with us where we made chocolate from scratch. As it turns out, chocolate starts off as a fruit. Learning about the cocoa production gave me a new appreciation for fair trade products, and when it came time to buy treats to bring home, we sought our fair trade chocolate and coffee. It might seem like a little thing we can do as consumers, but it makes a big difference to the farmers who benefit from fair trade consumption.

We also visited a local fruit farmer and learned about the different types of fruit he grew and the challenges he faced in farming. One of the most significant challenges was the quest for clean drinking water. It was just days before our visit that he had finally received access to clean drinking water via a newly installed pipe system. He took us on a hike through the jungle to show us where the spring was he used to collect water from. We carried empty jugs and helped him dig out the overgrowth that was clogging the spring. Then he patiently waited for the clear water to begin flowing before showing us how to fill up the jugs. We struggled to hike back to his home, where we filtered the water. As we worked to obtain the water, the farmer told us how the spring actually flowed from the Amazon River itself, and thus wasn’t always a clean source of water. In fact, one of his children had caught a parasite from drinking the water, and died as a result. Never before has clean drinking water seemed like such a luxury to me.  I have the advantage of accessing clean drinking water at any time, yet at any given moment, there are people, even in Canada who don’t have access to clean drinking water. And that just isn’t right.

Our final community visit took us to a woman’s artisan group. These women are simply incredible. They were drawn together by their mutual desire to seek out opportunities for themselves and their children. The wealth of knowledge these women have about the nature that surrounds their community is astounding. They taught us how to make string out of a plant that is commonly found in the jungle. They scraped off the outside, wove it together and dyed it using natural colouring they also found in the jungle. They then use the fiber they created to make jewelry from natural materials. I carry the yellow string I got to make with them in my glasses case as a reminder to challenge myself to see the world around me differently and to look for new opportunities in my life. That is one of the most valuable lessons these women taught me- find the opportunity where it looks like none exist.

A serious problem they had in their community was litter. The woman’s artisan group got together with the children at the school and decided to do something about it and to make their community cleaner. They installed garbage cans at the school and the students put their snack wrappers in these bins. This all but eliminated the litter problem in the school yard, but what the women did with these wrappers is truly remarkable. The women collect the chip and cookie bags, then they cut them open, wash them thoroughly and then use the plastic foil to weave shopping bags, wallets and pouches.  They saw a problem in their community, found a solution and then discovered a way to upcycle material to financially support themselves.

Our team enjoyed shopping for jewelry and items made by these talented artisans. Each time I wear my bracelets I bought that day, I’m reminded of what sustainable income means to these women and how being self-sufficient and financially independent can open doors and create opportunities that may not exist for them otherwise.

Spending time in the Amazon opened my eyes. It taught me that opportunity is everywhere if you look for it, and if you’re brave enough, seizing these opportunities can change your life and the lives of those around you.  What will your next opportunity to make a difference in the world look like? Where will you find your next opportunity for adventure and good work?

 If you’d like to learn more about Me to We travels, please visit www.metowe.com. There are great travel opportunities for students and the staff at Me to We are excellent and will help your organize a trip for your school. Special thanks to Me to We for hosting our team on the tour and for ensuring an amazing and safe experience. I look forward to returning to the Amazon with my students next year.

 

Summer in the City: A Neighbrouhood Adventure

Recently, I’ve started walking around my neighbourhood in the evenings.  This not only provides me with an opportunity to get some much needed exercise and a chance to reflect on my day, but it has also allowed me to explore my neighbourhood parks and trails. This is something I’ve never taken the time to do until now, despite having lived in this neighbourhood for nearly six years!

While walking this spring, I began to notice the variety of birds and other creatures that were in the parks with me. Early in the spring I could hear woodpeckers banging away in the tree tops (even through my headphones and my favourite playlist). I often saw the red flashes of cardinals in the bare branches. I began to pay closer attention to my surrounds and as it turns out, the parks are alive and well with the sights and sounds of nature.

My curiosity peaked, I set out, armed with my trusty running shoes and iphone camera, to capture some of the creatures I could find. Here are a few of my favourite shots from recent weeks.

  One of the easiest to capture, and the most noticeable when walking around the park is the sheer number of purple flowers. Now, there are a variety of different colours of wild flowers that grow- the Queen Ann’s lace and the orange Tiger Lilies are in full bloom in all of the ditches that boarder the paths- but for some reason, purple flowers seem to be everywhere. There are tiny little ones struggling to grow through the cracks in the pathway pavement and in between the sidewalks. These tall purple ones grow right up against people’s back yard fences making me think that they may be garden transplants helped by the wind or a well-meaning squirrel. They sure do make for a colour filled walk.

I almost missed this guy and nearly stepped on him! Thankfully I didn’t squish its shell and was able to snap a quick picture of him instead. Snails are fascinating to me when you stop to have a good look at them. Their slow and steady pace is a good reminder to take the challenges of each day one step at a time.

  

 So there is a little creek that runs through the walking trails near my house and there are bridges that criss-cross over top of it. One sunny afternoon I happened to catch this awesome duck hanging out on the edge of the creek. I almost feel like he’s out of place in the middle of the city, but he looks quite peaceful sitting by the water.

This might be my favourite shot I’ve taken on a walk so far. This happened just the other night and temperatures were pushing 30 degrees centigrade even in the late evening. My little friend here had found temporary refuge from the heat on a shady patch of grass when I came around the corner. The bunny was in no hurry to move either as I pulled out my phone. It wasn’t until a playful puppy approaching from the other side that this floppy earned friend hopped away and darted under a nearby fence.

I’ve been surprised at the variety of what I’ve found in my own back yard. It makes me think that this would be a great activity to do with my students come the fall. We could go on a community walk and explore our own neighbourhood, locating interesting plants, flowers or animals and capture them through film and journaled words. It could open up great discussions on community elements, environmental issues, wildlife protection and habitats as well as make great writing prompts through photographs taken. The classroom application possibilities are endless!

It’s exciting to think about all the unknown nature out there waiting for us to explore. I can’t wait to see what I’ll discover on my next backyard adventure… 

The Value of Play in the Classroom

Some of my fondest childhood memories include playing freely at the cottage. We would get up in the morning, get on our bikes and head up to “The Pier” for swimming lessons; after that, the day was ours. As long as we showed up for meals and were home by dark, we pretty much had free rein of the neighbourhood. We would go for bike rides, swim at the beach, go to the park after dinner, play organized field sports (sometimes we’d play disorganized field sports too…) Even when it rained we would spend hours playing intense games of Risk, spoons, even Monopoly! The freedom of a play filled childhood was glorious. 

I’d all but forgotten this sense of freedom, what with the hustle and bustle of adulthood- not that I don’t have fun as an adult- I enjoy a lot of fun things, but they aren’t playing  necessarily. Then I went to a conference about play based learning and the necessity of re-claiming play as adults and teaching our young adults how to play as well. What a fun way to spend a weekend!

Yet this seemed like such a novel idea. Making time in our over-scheduled, time crunched, curriculum driven lives for play? Is that even possible?

It is, in fact, possible.

According to Albert Einstein, “Play is the highest form of research”.  Now I’m not an expert on how to play by any stretch of the imagination, but I am a committed lifelong learner, so figuring out how to integrate play into my intermediate secondary school classrooms this spring was a fun challenge. There is indeed time and room for play all around us. I found out I can steal little moments in my lessons and reclaim them for play. It took me some time to critically examine my teaching practices, but once I did, it felt pretty awesome to include “playfulness” into my classrooms.

Here are some ways I included play into my classroom practices.

1. Play Doh- seriously, this stuff is great. Students can squish it in their hands during a lessons (replaces the stress ball) and it is good for fidgety learners and ones who need sensory stimulation during a lesson. You can even use it in lessons to create visual representations of concepts or ideas you’re discussing in class. This could be especially useful in middle school science classes. You could even integrate it into mindfulness practices and social skills lessons. The possibilities are endless!

2.  Playing cards- I love using playing cards to partner up students or select presentation orders. I hand out playing cards to students and ask them to mill about the room to find the person with the same suit (groups) or number (partners). It gets the students up and moving momentarily and is a great way to randomly assign partners/small groups. When selecting presentation orders, I place the cards face down on students’ desks and then have them flip them up; sometimes we go in order, sometimes, reverse order, sometimes I let them pick based on their numbers. (This is not a good strategy if you have anxious presenters in the classroom- so I wouldn’t recommend trying this until you know the students well).

 3.         Using Lego as a hands-on learning tool. When teaching graphic texts in literacy courses, it’s hard to come up with a fun and creative lessons to teach students how to interpret picture instructions. I initially came up with two ideas, IKEA furniture and Lego. Building furniture didn’t seem like a great option, so I bought some Lego sets and the students had to team up, follow the instructions and created some cool final products.

4.   Create a break-out room (sometimes called an escape room). These are modeled after those adult problem solving rooms where you solve clues to “escape” the room. I created one for my learning strategies class this year to promote team work and problem solving skills. I included riddles, activities and puzzles where they needed to use their academic and critical thinking skills to figure them out. This took some time, but they worked cooperatively and escaped “impending doom” before time ran out. It was a fun way to consolidate a bunch of important skills.

5. Team Work Challenges- I like to take 15 minutes on Fridays (especially with my learning strategies class) to complete a team work challenge. These can be solving ‘match stick’ riddles, playing minute to win it games, or the classic spaghetti and marshmallow challenge type of activity. It’s a good way to start (or end) a class on a Friday and gives them the opportunity to practice team work and positive communication skills.

I have experienced some success in my classrooms with these forms of “play”. These simple little elements can help create a positive atmosphere for students and are fun for the teacher too.

I’m excited to see where else I can integrate them come the fall and am looking forward to discovering new ways to use play to challenge my students in the classroom.

Play on Teachers!